GMA challenges proposals for environmental peat tax

In its report Financing Nature in an Age of Austerity, the RSPB
suggested funding nature conservation through "environmental taxes" on
peat, fertiliser and pesticides.

Briercliffe said: "The RSPB makes selective reference to Defra's peat
monitoring project, but no mention of the separate Defra reports into
the availability of alternative products and the costs of peat reduction
to the industry. The transition would patently not be smooth if you take
those reports into account."

He said the report failed to identify where alternative products would
come from, adding: "The introduction of a peat tax would do little more
than increase costs for manufacturers and consumers at a time when we
should be looking to stimulate the economy."

RSPB sustainable development policy officer Olly Watts, who sits on the
GMA, said: "The idea of a peat tax has been around for a long time and
Defra has been considering fiscal measures.

"We all know that we are in a time of austerity and nature conservation
funding is going to be cut, so we are trying to help the Government find
ways to help this."

The report emerged in the same week that industry representatives met
with Defra minister Richard Benyon to discuss the speed that peat
reduction could be achieved.

Briercliffe said: "It was encouraging to hear the minister wanting to
find out about the challenges presented by peat reduction. He was
pleased by our approach and has agreed to give serious consideration to
the industry's concerns."

Horticultural Development Company chairman Neil Bragg said: "The meeting
provided a useful opportunity to detail some of the real financial and
technical challenges that growers face."

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